PBA 062
8:14:39 PM Crow: Okay, who've I got? 8:14:50 PM Wynn: Wynn 8:14:53 PM Iskandar: ((Meeeeeeeeee.)) 8:14:53 PM Josh: ((You have my bow)) 8:15:04 PM Nilani: (( ^_^ )) 8:15:33 PM Sash: I still need to pick my spells for the day 8:15:46 PM Sash: And the entire page is full already 8:16:19 PM Josh: ((What page?)) 8:16:53 PM Sash: ((The entire sheet is full with just the wizard spells)) 8:17:09 PM Sash: ((And clerics get all their spells per level)) 8:17:22 PM Sash: I'm going to have to make up lats off the sheet now 8:21:37 PM Crow: All right. 8:22:13 PM Crow: The good news is, you've left the holiness plane. Well, that's probably good news to those of you who aren't divine casters, anyway. Sorry, Kalor and Wynn. 8:22:48 PM Crow: ... or the Mirror Plane, or wherever the hell we were. 8:23:19 PM Crow: Anyway, you left the Mirror Plane with its worrying doppelganger effect to head to Voidspace for refueling. 8:25:15 PM Crow: It took a couple of days. Nation has been as cranky and sarcastic as ever and Talas has turned up a bit more often, largely delivering fruits and veggies, leaving a trail of flowers (mostly orange ones) behind her. A lot of them keep growing afterward, too, taking root in whatever happens to be around in seemingly impossible places. The hallway between the forest door and the kitchen is beginning to look particularly, uh... verdant. 8:26:54 PM Iskandar: ... it's getting harder and harder to avoid treading on those orange flowers. 8:27:17 PM Iskandar: Iskandar will say to whoever happens to be in the galley when he enters. 8:27:30 PM Crow: There's a bit of grass, too, and even, in one case, what appears to be a sapling. 8:27:43 PM Iskandar: ... must be spring? 8:28:01 PM Janis: ...are we supposed to not tread on them? 8:28:17 PM Janis: I haven't really been trying to avoid them. 8:28:27 PM Iskandar: Well, those are the same ones she wears in her hair, so I figured they were important to her. 8:28:59 PM Janis: ...if Talas asks, I totally found them like that. 8:29:12 PM Wynn: Wynn rolls her eyes as she turns a page in her book. 8:29:13 PM Janis: Janis takes a long sip of juice. 8:30:22 PM Crow: Tora is there, checking the cupboards with a notepad and a pencil as she goes. "We don't need that much peanut butter, do we?" 8:30:41 PM Iskandar: You never know when you'll need peanut butter. 8:30:49 PM Crow: Tora: Oh, this one is hazelnut butter. I... didn't know that was a thing. 8:31:31 PM Iskandar: It's an abomination. 8:31:54 PM Crow: Grayson walks in with a mug in one hand, just in time to hear that last sentence. "... what's an abomination?" 8:32:01 PM Iskandar: Hazelnut butter. 8:32:08 PM Janis: A delicious abomination. 8:32:57 PM Crow: Grayson: ... doesn't sound too bad to me. Anybody else want more coffee? 8:33:19 PM Iskandar: Why not? 8:33:30 PM Iskandar: ...say, that is a lot of peanutbutter. 8:33:51 PM Crow: Tora: See? I wonder what we're supposed to use it for. 8:34:00 PM Iskandar: Still, we'll be thankful when we have to ward of the undead who have peanut allergies. 8:34:01 PM Wynn: Sandwiches? 8:34:17 PM Janis: ...undead are allergic to peanuts? 8:34:33 PM Crow: Grayson: .... I don't think so. I mean, they don't have to breathe, right? 8:34:56 PM Iskandar: I'm not saying it's effective. 8:35:06 PM Crow: Tora: Well, is there anything else anyone wants before I give more requisitions to Talas? 8:35:22 PM Iskandar: Oranges. 8:35:50 PM Crow: Tora: They're in the chiller, bottom drawer on the left side as you walk in. 8:35:51 PM Janis: Milk. 8:36:08 PM Crow: Tora: Right side, eye level. 8:36:22 PM Janis: Then I'm good. 8:36:25 PM Crow: Tora: Cow and goat. 8:36:32 PM Iskandar: Iskandar walks in and mage hands an orange to him. 8:36:42 PM Crow: It's orangey! 8:37:33 PM Iskandar: Did you know back on that divine plane that there was a whole temple dedicated to the domestication of owlbears? They were selling owlbear milk and cheese. 8:37:53 PM Crow: Grayson grimaces, and starts making more coffee. 8:37:59 PM Crow: Grayson: Doesn't sound too appealin' to me. 8:38:30 PM Janis: It's not. Trust me. 8:38:50 PM Janis: Janis makes a face at the memory of it. 8:38:58 PM Iskandar: Owlbear meat is pretty good, though. 8:39:48 PM Crow: Grayson rubs his shoulder. "Might go for a hot bath. I been trainin' with whoever'll take me; your Arin just kicked my butt from here to Sunday." 8:41:02 PM Iskandar: Yeah, she's pretty much a whirling dervish of blue destruction. 8:41:24 PM Wynn: I've been meaning to ask her some questions myself. 8:41:33 PM Crow: Grayson: Those scarves make it hard to see where she's really at. 8:42:00 PM Iskandar: Well, that's what they do, right? You try to grab, the scarf comes away, and they cut your hand off. 8:43:06 PM Crow: Grayson: Yeah, that too. Never seen that before, I guess that's Rafangia's way. 8:43:13 PM Iskandar: Iskandar nods. 8:43:24 PM Sash: Sash walks in 8:43:34 PM Crow: Tora: She has such beautiful hair. 8:43:59 PM Iskandar: I like yours. All tigerish. 8:44:32 PM Sash: They regrettably were out of owlbear milk as we departed 8:44:42 PM Iskandar: Nation's Voice speaks up all around you. "I'm all refueled -- getting ready to jump. You might want to brace yourselves." 8:45:00 PM Crow: Tora: Mine's been like that ever since I got cursed. 8:45:11 PM Crow: Grayson grimaces again, and sits down. Tora sits too. 8:45:20 PM Nilani: Thanks for the warning! 8:45:27 PM Nilani: Nilani sits on the floor. 8:45:40 PM Wynn: Wynn continues reading in her chair. 8:45:49 PM Sash: Sash offers a quick prayer to the sealord and mentally steels himself 8:46:10 PM Iskandar: Iskandar braces himself. 8:46:35 PM Janis: Janis eats. It is good breakfast. 8:47:28 PM Iskandar: Iskandar feels Tora's hair. "Well, I like it." 8:47:55 PM Crow: Tora smiles. 8:48:18 PM Crow: Tora: ... thanks. 8:49:19 PM Iskandar: Nation: Jumping! 8:49:25 PM Iskandar: Everyone roll will saves. 8:49:46 PM Janis: ((15)) 8:49:48 PM Wynn: ((10.)) 8:50:36 PM Sash: ((16)) 8:50:41 PM Nilani: (( 11 )) 8:51:04 PM Iskandar: ((15)) 8:51:32 PM Crow: You all weather the jump pretty well, this time. It's disconcerting and weird, but no major effects. 8:53:38 PM Iskandar: That wasn't so bad. 8:53:39 PM Wynn: So where'd we go this time, Nation? 8:55:43 PM Iskandar: Nation's Voice: Scanning, keep your pants on. 8:56:19 PM Iskandar: NAtion: Or don't. I'm not your boss. 8:56:40 PM Janis: Why do people say that? Who gets so impatient they take their pants off? 8:57:02 PM Crow: Grayson: I... think I prefer my pants where they are. 8:57:09 PM Crow: Tora: I'm not even wearing pants. 8:57:10 PM Iskandar: Nation: Looks like a mountainous Prime Material Plane. 8:57:25 PM Iskandar: Nation: I see a city. 8:57:58 PM Sash: Primes again, at least these guys probably have no laws against casting spells 8:58:12 PM Crow: Tora: There are places with laws against spells? 8:58:20 PM Iskandar: Nation: Huh. Someone's trying to contact us. 8:58:22 PM Crow: Tora: ... what do they think of weres? 8:58:49 PM Iskandar: Different planes have different laws. 8:58:54 PM Sash: The same they think of mers, usually 8:59:07 PM Janis: Who's contacting us? 8:59:14 PM Sash: And how? 8:59:38 PM Sash: Any place with advanced enough magic to contact us is interesting just for that reason 8:59:38 PM Iskandar: Nation: Illusion magic. Sophisticated magitech. Hold on, I'll patch it through. 9:02:18 PM Crow: A shimmer appears above the kitchen table and then coalesces into a middle-aged human-looking man with dark skin. The way the illusion is positioned with a vase inside makes it look like a bunch of orange flowers are sprouting from his jeweled turban; it's a little disconcerting. 9:03:35 PM Crow: Man: You've arrived much more quickly than I expected. The promised bonus will be delivered as offered, with thanks. Will you be stopping at the palace or do you have the information you require? 9:03:51 PM Iskandar: .... do what now? 9:04:12 PM Janis: ...what? 9:04:21 PM Sash: We will be stopping by the palace I reckon 9:04:21 PM Wynn: You must have us mistaken for someone else. 9:04:25 PM Crow: He leans forward and taps the air in front of him; obviously there's some object there on his end. 9:05:07 PM Crow: Man: Is this thing working? Cursed thing has never worked right since the vizier dropped it last month. I SAID: Thank you for getting here so quickly, you'll get your BONUS. 9:05:21 PM Crow: Man: If you get her back ALIVE. 9:05:26 PM Crow: Man: As PROMISED. 9:05:31 PM Sash: Who? 9:05:34 PM Janis: .......... 9:05:42 PM Crow: He's raising his voice like he's talking to a deaf old person. 9:05:51 PM Crow: Man: DO YOU WANT TO STOP AT THE PALACE? 9:06:10 PM Crow: He taps the air again, several times in succession; the illusion shimmers, wobbles, and shimmers. 9:06:14 PM Crow: Then it goes solid again. 9:06:14 PM Iskandar: Yes, yes, we'll stop at the palace. 9:06:31 PM Wynn: I suppose we'll have to, if for no other reason than to tell him he's got the wrong people. 9:06:41 PM Iskandar: I heard the word 'Bonus'. 9:06:49 PM Crow: Man: GOOD. I HOPE YOU CAN SAVE MY DAUGHTER. SHE'S ALL I HAVE. 9:07:20 PM Janis: ...I think we just go hired to save a princess. 9:07:24 PM Crow: Man: ... well, besides the palace and a lot of gold and the kingdom, but that's not important. Anyway I'LL HAVE THE VIZIER PUT UP A PORTAL. 9:07:37 PM Iskandar: THANK YOU. 9:07:38 PM Sash: Did you say "advanced" magitech? It kind of looks like they have no idea how to work it properly... 9:07:58 PM Janis: Maybe it's so advanced nobody knows how to use it. 9:08:00 PM Iskandar: This guy probably has people for that. 9:08:07 PM Crow: His image sputters again and disappears. 9:08:22 PM Crow: Tora: Oh no, I doubt it. 9:08:28 PM Crow: Tora: He probably has people who have people for that. 9:08:33 PM Janis: Welp, off to the palace then. 9:08:49 PM Janis: See if we can get more details on...whatever it is we're doing now. 9:09:18 PM Iskandar: Sounds like a good plan! This Freelance Do-gooder thing isn't working out so badly. 9:09:25 PM Wynn: ... I'll go get dressed. 9:09:59 PM Crow: Tora: I think I'd better stay here. I'm just a bookkeeper. I can inventory kitchens and track supplies, but... I've never saved a princess. 9:10:18 PM Wynn: Wynn leaves and will meet everyone at the portal. 9:10:28 PM Crow: Grayson: I'll get my armor. 9:10:45 PM Iskandar: Iskandar winks at Tora. "I will be back with tales of derring do." 9:11:07 PM Crow: Tora: And the princess, too? 9:11:10 PM Sash: I have that entire series 9:11:26 PM Sash: Well, more like, borrowed it 9:11:38 PM Iskandar: Bleh. Despite what you read, dragons are not terribly interested in princesses. 9:11:43 PM Janis: Did you ask before you borrowed? 9:11:49 PM Iskandar: I mean, they're nice, but you could never eat a whole one. 9:12:23 PM Sash: I don't remember. Did I ask before checking the Derring do books out of the library Nation? 9:12:56 PM Iskandar: Nation: Damned if I know. I don't keep track of that stuff. Doesn't matter, the Unseen Servants bring the books back to the library eventually. 9:13:33 PM Sash: Ah, I was kind of wondering what happened to all those grimoires that disappeared from my room 9:13:55 PM Janis: Janis heads to the portal 9:14:50 PM Sash: Sash picks up a piece of bread and heads for the portal 9:15:16 PM Iskandar: Iskandar finishes peeling his orange. 9:16:08 PM Crow: Tora: I don't know, they're usually pretty skinny. 9:16:10 PM Wynn: Wynn meets you there! 9:16:33 PM Crow: Tora: It's amazing how thin and attractive you can be with a bunch of people to cook for you, dress you and exercise with you. 9:16:54 PM Iskandar: Or for you. I know there's a spell for that. 9:17:01 PM Iskandar: Iskandar winks at Tora and heads to the portal! 9:17:15 PM Crow: Tora: But then they're kind of gamey. Be careful! 9:18:23 PM Sash: It's usually better to go for the spell that avoids all of that and gives you the straight results for a limited time 9:18:23 PM Crow: Grayson turns up, carrying his helmet. "Right. We ready?" 9:18:27 PM Sash: Believe me 9:18:52 PM Janis: Janis responds by going through the portal 9:18:53 PM Iskandar: I believe we are. 9:19:03 PM Crow: Grayson: Janis! ... she shouldn't really do that. 9:19:07 PM Wynn: Wynn shakes her head and follows Janis. 9:19:08 PM Crow: Grayson follows. 9:19:28 PM Crow: Roll a ref check, Janis! And Wynn. 9:19:30 PM Sash: Sash puts on his flower hat and follows 9:19:52 PM Janis: ((18)) 9:19:59 PM Crow: And everybody actually! 9:20:04 PM Sash: ((2)) 9:20:08 PM Wynn: ((ninja tank fail. 6, 7 if it's vs a trap)) 9:20:14 PM Sash: ((Natural one)) 9:20:31 PM Crow: Oh dear. Well, you all wanted new characters anyway, right? 9:20:41 PM Iskandar: ((14!)) 9:20:51 PM Janis: ((Ironically, I think it was just me who did :P)) 9:21:01 PM Crow: You all pop through the portal! 9:21:46 PM Nilani: (( 25 I was distracted! )) 9:22:11 PM Crow: Unfortunately, the portal wasn't made very well--you pop out into a space at a 45-degree angle from the space you were just at, and consequently, there's a bit of a drop and a slide. Janis drops nimbly to the ground and hops out of the way. So does Nilani. 9:22:27 PM Crow: But the rest of you kind of end up in a pile, with Wynn and Grayson on the bottom. 9:22:37 PM Crow: (Be glad they're on the bottom.) 9:22:43 PM Janis: ....you guys ok? 9:22:46 PM Sash: Ow! 9:22:50 PM Crow: Grayson: ... sorry, Wynn. 9:23:04 PM Wynn: It's all right. 9:23:06 PM Iskandar: Oh, thank god, that edge of Wynn's armor broke my fall. 9:23:18 PM Crow: A man and a woman are standing there; the man is shaking some sort of gemmed cube-shaped device. It's the one you saw in the illusion. 9:23:21 PM Wynn: Janis, I thought you'd learned not to go first last time? 9:23:33 PM Iskandar: Greetings! 9:23:40 PM Wynn: Wynn stands once everyone's untangled from her. 9:23:44 PM Janis: Janis sees them and stands in a firm, dignified stance 9:23:47 PM Iskandar: Iskandar literally turns on the charm. 9:23:53 PM Sash: What is wrong with this place? Who puts a portal at anything other than a straight angle? We could've ended up halfway into the floor! 9:23:59 PM Iskandar: ((Activating Beguiling influence.)) 9:24:17 PM Crow: The woman is tall, very thin, and wearing a severe violet-and-black set of wizard's robes, and a violet-and-black turban. She looks annoyed. "Your majesty, if you keep shaking that it won't keep working." 9:24:29 PM Sash: Sash picks himself off the floor and dusts his robe off 9:24:32 PM Iskandar: Have you tried turning it off and on again? 9:24:40 PM Crow: King(?) But it wasn't... oh, that's a good idea. 9:24:53 PM Crow: He presses down on one of the gems; the portal flickers out. 9:25:08 PM Crow: Wizard Woman: Wait thirty seconds before you power on again. 9:25:21 PM Janis: ...um...did you call us? 9:25:25 PM Iskandar: Or you could try blowing on it. 9:25:34 PM Crow: King(?): Yes, yes, I had tutors. Blowing on it? I thought that was a myth. 9:25:42 PM Nilani: Nilani stands quietly where she landed. She glances around warily. 9:25:46 PM Crow: The wizard woman rubs her forehead. 9:25:59 PM Iskandar: Anyway. Hello. We're here about the rescue? 9:26:04 PM Wynn: Right, anyway, we are not the people you apparently had a deal with. 9:26:15 PM Sash: The thaumic resonance field sometimes responds favorably to increased humidity levels 9:26:18 PM Janis: Fortunately, we're better. 9:26:25 PM Crow: Grayson puts his helmet on, putting the visor up. 9:26:41 PM Crow: King: ... you are? 9:26:48 PM Iskandar: Well, we're here, aren't we? 9:26:54 PM Iskandar: Where are those other guys? 9:26:56 PM Iskandar: Not here. 9:27:01 PM Janis: Janis Khorster. Greatest Bounty Hunter in the Multiverse 9:27:09 PM Janis: Janis extends her hand to shake his 9:27:28 PM Sash: I am Kalor, formerly of Delvingdeep. high priest of Aventernus the sealord and a student of the mysteries of the arcane. 9:27:33 PM Sash: Sash bows 9:27:34 PM Crow: King: ... but the Pentaghasts are the foremost dragonhunters in this part of the planes... are you sure? 9:27:45 PM Iskandar: Iskandar makes a face. 9:28:11 PM Crow: The king looks at Janis's hand, confused for a moment, and then shakes it, handing off the cube to the woman, who clutches it, obviously relieved. 9:28:15 PM Iskandar: Dragonhunters? Let me tell you something about dragonhunters. 9:28:31 PM Wynn: Wynn puts a hand on Isk's shoulder. 9:28:36 PM Sash: They hunt dragons? 9:28:37 PM Iskandar: First of all? There's as much hunting in a dragohunt as there is a fox hunt. 9:28:37 PM Crow: King: Yes? 9:28:39 PM Iskandar: None. 9:29:05 PM Iskandar: Second? They're lucky idiots, all of them. 9:29:24 PM Sash: Yes, generally they just walk up to where the dragon is holed up and then they kill it with extreme prejudice, not much of a hunt, is it? 9:29:32 PM Crow: King: They are? They do? 9:29:37 PM Iskandar: Yep. 9:29:40 PM Iskandar: We're much better. 9:29:45 PM Sash: They should call them... Dragon ambushers? 9:29:55 PM Wynn: Wynn sighs. 9:30:10 PM Crow: King: Well, I'd thought about princes, but I don't believe my daughter's quite ... er... well, I don't think she wants to be married, and half the kingdom is the going rate for a prince, plus the princess. 9:30:28 PM Crow: Woman: ... your majesty... 9:30:31 PM Iskandar: That's a lousy exchange rate. None of us are nobility. 9:30:40 PM Iskandar: I don't think, anyway. 9:30:46 PM Iskandar: Janis? Are you secret Queen or something? 9:30:49 PM Janis: We're so much better than princes. We're basically chosen ones. We've all met deities and everything. 9:31:02 PM Crow: King: Really? That's amazing! Which ones? 9:31:03 PM Iskandar: Wynn? 9:31:07 PM Sash: My father is a merchant prince but no, not in the regular sense I guess... 9:31:28 PM Wynn: Can we just... do you have a problem? Your daughter's missing or something? 9:31:44 PM Crow: King: Oh! Yes. 9:31:54 PM Sash: It's more of an academic title for earning a lot of gold and not stabbing enough people in the back to be counted as a traitor prince. 9:32:08 PM Wynn: None of this matters. 9:32:11 PM Iskandar: Please, your highnessness, go on. 9:32:44 PM Crow: Woman: It's just "your highness." Or "Sultan." 9:33:03 PM Crow: King: Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Well, explain, then. 9:33:30 PM Crow: Woman: Quite. 9:34:24 PM Crow: Woman: Welcome to the kingdom of Oran. This is Sultan Azan, who has a number of royal titles he refuses to sit through while I enumerate them. 9:35:30 PM Crow: Woman: I am his faithful servant and Grand Vizier Julanda, and I do not use any other titles either for the same reason, though I am the Court Wizard. 9:37:22 PM Crow: It could be noted at this point that both of them are fairly good-looking; the Sultan is shortish and has a muscular build under his white tunic and golden sash; while the vizier is tall and thin and rather pointy-looking. Both have dark skin and gem-encrusted sashes. 9:37:34 PM Crow: Sultan: Get to the important part. 9:37:41 PM Crow: Julanda: Of course, your majesty. 9:38:59 PM Crow: Julanda: The Sultan's daughter, Princess Zuleina, has been kidnapped by a foul and murderous beast, a dragon from the western reaches of the kingdom, that left its cave and flew here in the night to steal her away from the palace garden. 9:39:28 PM Janis: ...why? 9:39:41 PM Crow: Sultan: ... why what? 9:39:51 PM Janis: Why did it come to steal your daughter? 9:40:16 PM Crow: Sultan: ... it's a dragon. Dragons demand princesses as sacrifices all the time, it is known. 9:40:23 PM Crow: Vizier: It is known. 9:40:23 PM Janis: ...they do? 9:40:30 PM Janis: ...ok... 9:40:34 PM Iskandar: Maybe it's a local custom. 9:40:42 PM Crow: Sultan: Of course they do, it's in all the stories. 9:41:03 PM Wynn: Please, continue. 9:41:29 PM Iskandar: Iskandar bristles. 9:42:00 PM Crow: Vizier: Did not the Dread Warith steal away princess Dulanna and crunch her bones? Did not the terrible Nadhar demand princess Ailsith as a snack, and threaten to raze the kingdom to cinders if he did not get her? Did not Tamim the Slayer destroy a city to taste the meat of the princess Azd? 9:42:21 PM Janis: Ok, fine, it is known. Whatever. Go on. 9:42:37 PM Crow: Sultan: ... this isn't really a good time to be telling all those stories. 9:42:40 PM Iskandar: Iskandar is currently biting his tongue. 9:42:47 PM Crow: Vizier: Of course, your majesty. My apologies. 9:43:02 PM Crow: Vizier: But it is known. Dragons do these things; they are wicked beasts. 9:43:45 PM Crow: Sultan: Not all of them. The Great Wyrm Affan was of great assistance to my family in the Wars of Nizwa. 9:44:04 PM Crow: Vizier: Yes, your majesty, but he was most unusual, most unusual indeed. A very wise and Great Wyrm indeed. 9:44:05 PM Wynn: By the Saint... is it more important to recount ancient history or find your daughter? 9:44:26 PM Crow: Sultan: Find her? Why would we need to find her? We know where she is. We can even send you there. 9:44:27 PM Sash: But ancient history cannot be overstated 9:44:40 PM Crow: Vizier: And it is better that you know what you are up against. 9:44:46 PM Wynn: Wynn frowns at Kalor. 9:44:52 PM Janis: THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT SOONER?!? 9:45:08 PM Iskandar: How about you tell us about this dragon. 9:45:18 PM Sash: So what color is this particular dragon? 9:45:43 PM Crow: Vizier: It was blue. 9:45:52 PM Iskandar: Hmph. 9:45:58 PM Janis: Janis looks at Isk to make sure he doesn't strangle anyone 9:46:12 PM Crow: Sultan: Does it matter? 9:46:22 PM Crow: Sultan: It is still a dragon. 9:46:22 PM Janis: HEY! Who are the heroes here? 9:46:31 PM Janis: We decide what we need to know, ok? 9:46:38 PM Sash: As I recall the blue dragons command the very forces of lightning itself as their deadly breath. 9:46:50 PM Janis: See? Important stuff right here. 9:47:11 PM Iskandar: Yes, I believe I have also read that in some ancient fucking tome from a time before time long ago. 9:47:27 PM Wynn: How does anyone around here get anything done? Can we cut to the chase here? 9:47:35 PM Crow: Vizier: Oh, do you read much? Perhaps you could join me in the library after you dispatch the dragon? 9:47:46 PM Crow: Vizier: As to its hue, that may have been the darkness of night reflecting on its scales. It was very dark. 9:47:49 PM Sash: I would be honored to. 9:47:58 PM Iskandar: Dragon! Princess! Where? Why? How? 9:47:58 PM Wynn: Wynn grumbles. 9:48:17 PM Wynn: At this point I'd be happy with just where. 9:48:19 PM Janis: Screw the why and how. Just give us the where. 9:48:35 PM Crow: Vizier: Do you wish to see a picture of the Princess Zuleina? 9:48:45 PM Wynn: Is she human? 9:48:56 PM Iskandar: Are there likely to be many princesses where we're going? 9:49:07 PM Nilani: Knowing what she looks like would help greatly, yes. 9:49:13 PM Sash: But impatience in matters of great import is never a good thing. 9:49:31 PM Wynn: Neither is mindless chatter while someone's life may be on the line. 9:49:47 PM Crow: The vizier makes a gesture and does an illusion spell. 9:50:35 PM Sash: ((I would like to roll spellcraft and see what I can deduce about the spell cast)) 9:51:06 PM Sash: ((22)) 9:51:18 PM Crow: The image of a young woman wearing loose pants and a tunic appears. She is pretty, if you like the short, chubby type, and appears to be curled up on a cushion reading a book, smiling and petting a cat curled up on her lap. 9:51:48 PM Crow: She has dark skin too, and also looks a bit like her dad. 9:52:07 PM Iskandar: So you know where she is. Surely you have troops or armies that you could have sent by now. 9:52:40 PM Crow: Sultan: The dragon threatened to kill her if we acted. 9:52:41 PM Sash: Very nice likeness, I know how difficult it can be to get that high resolution while being so efficient 9:52:57 PM Janis: You heard him say those exact words? 9:53:04 PM Crow: Vizier: But if someone else does something. 9:53:20 PM Crow: Sultan: No. He carved them into the wall in the courtyard. 9:53:48 PM Iskandar: May I see? 9:53:50 PM Janis: ((22 SM on the vizier)) 9:53:52 PM Sash: It sounds like this dragon is pretty much baiting for mercenaries then. Interesting... 9:53:53 PM Crow: Vizier: And knocked over the east tower. 9:54:27 PM Sash: Carved you say? Using his claws? 9:54:37 PM Crow: Vizier: Does it matter? 9:54:52 PM Crow: Sultan: ... if they wish to know they must have a reason... 9:55:10 PM Iskandar: I would like to see. I'm fluent in many forms of draconic. 9:55:37 PM Sash: I know dragon claws are tough enough to damage stone, but surely it is not a knife through butter affair? It sounds very inefficient for a great beast that could lay a town to waste to carve threats in a wall, instead of simply speaking them. 9:55:47 PM Crow: Vizier: ... very well then... 9:56:06 PM Crow: The Vizier casts another spell. it almost sounds like she's swearing under her breath. 9:56:16 PM Iskandar: Iskandar smiles sweetly at her. 9:56:18 PM Crow: The landscape shifts and swirls around you! 9:56:59 PM Crow: Suddenly you're in a courtyard, or rather, the remains of one. The place is laid out as a beautiful garden, but there's rubble and debris all over part of it, and some of the statuary has been knocked over. 9:57:46 PM Crow: On one wall, draconic words are carved into the stone, about an inch deep. 9:57:48 PM Iskandar: Iskandar looks around for signs of electrical damage. 9:58:02 PM Sash: Sash looks at the words 9:58:04 PM Crow: None. 9:58:14 PM Iskandar: Iskandar turns his attention toward the words. 9:58:22 PM Janis: ...does your entire court speak Draconic? 9:58:36 PM Sash: Most wizards are trained in draconic 9:58:47 PM Sash: It is not an uncommon language 9:59:27 PM Janis: So, Grand Vizier Julanda, you were the one who translated? 9:59:34 PM Iskandar: And most blues wouldn't bother to leave a message in any other language. 9:59:51 PM Sash: Most dragons would not, I imagine. 10:00:16 PM Iskandar: "Do not give chase, people of Oran. She is MINE." 10:00:18 PM Crow: The words, at eye level, are about an inch deep into the stone, and the last word is underlined. 10:00:21 PM Sash: This message is clearly directed att he people from here 10:00:46 PM Crow: Vizier: Yes, I translated. 10:01:05 PM Janis: ...do you have a map to the dragon's keep? 10:01:15 PM Crow: Vizier: No, but we can create a portal to it. 10:01:25 PM Sash: Iskandar, as the resident dragon expert, how difficult would you say it would be for a dragon that could cause this level of damage, presumably while being somewhat careful, to carve a message like this? 10:01:37 PM Wynn: ((Does that mean the inscription isn't in common then? er, is? 10:01:47 PM Iskandar: ((it's in Draconic.)) 10:01:48 PM Crow: It is in draconic. 10:02:01 PM Crow: Sultan: I thought he said he hated dragon hunters. 10:02:06 PM Iskandar: I do. 10:02:14 PM Iskandar: They're terrible people. 10:02:17 PM Janis: Dragon expert. It's different. 10:02:35 PM Sash: He knows more about dragons than me. And that is not a statement I make lightly. 10:02:38 PM Iskandar: It's weird that he or she didn't use their lightning breath. 10:02:51 PM Iskandar: Iskandar looks around for signs that any breath weapon was used. 10:02:58 PM Crow: There aren't any. 10:03:07 PM Iskandar: It's what I.... would do. If I wanted to make a dramatic statement. 10:03:13 PM Iskandar: And I were a dragon. 10:03:14 PM Crow: Vizier: The guards did not see it breathe anything at anyone. 10:03:37 PM Wynn: ....right. Are we ready to go yet? 10:03:47 PM Crow: Vizier: And it may not have been blue. At night, the roses emit a blue-green glow, it is somewhat difficult to judge color in their light. 10:03:56 PM Iskandar: Any breath weapon. 10:04:02 PM Crow: Sultan: They are my daughter's favorite. 10:04:09 PM Iskandar: No flames, no frost, no acid. 10:04:28 PM Sash: ((Casts detect magic and looks at the carved words)) 10:04:28 PM Crow: Vizier: Who can know the mind of a Dread Lizard? 10:04:40 PM Janis: Can you make the portal now, please? 10:05:06 PM Iskandar: Dragons can be assholes. But so can humans. 10:05:21 PM Iskandar: So, what kind of reward were you offering for her safe return? 10:06:04 PM Crow: Sultan: Money, titles, gems. 10:06:26 PM Crow: Vizier: Yes, of course. We can discuss the reward when the feat is accomplished. 10:06:35 PM Iskandar: How will we get back? 10:07:06 PM Crow: The Vizier presses a series of buttons on the box, and pulls a gem off of it, handing it to Isk. "Smash this beneath your foot when you wish to return." 10:07:10 PM Sash: I am detecting the traces of a transmutation spell lingering about these words on the wall. Most interesting. 10:07:19 PM Janis: ...does this particular dragon have a name? Like, when he came down did anyone cry out, "OH MY GOD, IT IS THE FEARSOME..." 10:07:39 PM Crow: Vizier: Mostly people just scream and run the opposite direction. 10:07:44 PM Janis: Janis nudges Kalor subtlely. 10:07:59 PM Iskandar: The reward is for your daughter's return. Not for the death of the dragon. Yes? 10:08:00 PM Crow: Vizier: This castle was built using stone shape; the spells linger. 10:08:24 PM Sash: Yes, you are probably right... 10:08:28 PM Crow: Vizier: It is for both. If the creature's head cannot be carried back.... 10:09:02 PM Crow: Sultan: We will come to some other agreement if its head cannot be carried, I want my daughter back. 10:09:23 PM Crow: A portal shimmers on the wall; it's turned about at a 45 degree angle. 10:09:34 PM Iskandar: Iskandar takes the cube and puts it in his haversack. 10:09:43 PM Wynn: ... 10:09:48 PM Janis: ...you really need to fix that. 10:09:58 PM Wynn: Wynn grabs Janis before she can move towards it. 10:09:58 PM Janis: Anyway, we'll be back with your daughter. 10:10:02 PM Crow: Vizier: I have tried. Believe me. 10:10:03 PM Janis: HEY! 10:10:15 PM Crow: Grayson shakes his head. 10:10:17 PM Janis: Janis shoots Wynn a look 10:10:19 PM Wynn: Wynn goes through first. 10:10:41 PM Crow: Gray follows. 10:10:46 PM Iskandar: Iskandar goes to head through the portal. 10:10:51 PM Janis: Janis goes through 10:11:29 PM Janis: ((Do we need another Reflex save?)) 10:11:35 PM Iskandar: Iskandar goes through muttering. 10:11:40 PM Nilani: Nilani also does portal things. 10:11:41 PM Sash: Sash braces himself and tries to land on his feet after goign through 10:12:02 PM Crow: Yep, roll a ref save! 10:12:17 PM Janis: ((17)) 10:12:23 PM Iskandar: ((Woot, nat 1.)) 10:12:24 PM Wynn: ((16.)) 10:12:34 PM Nilani: (( 23 )) 10:12:37 PM Iskandar: ((It begins.)) 10:12:42 PM Sash: ((4)) 10:12:47 PM Janis: ((Isk was too angry to think straight)) 10:13:27 PM Crow: This time everyone manages to stay right-side-up except Isk, who can't quite keep his footing, and Kalor, who -- well, at least Isk is there to break his fall! 10:13:59 PM Iskandar: Iskandar 's muttering is cut off by the fall. 10:14:10 PM Janis: Janis helps Kalor to his feet, but does so roughly 10:14:17 PM Janis: Dude, what are you thinking? 10:14:19 PM Crow: You arrive in what looks to be a ruin. 10:14:22 PM Sash: Sash picks himself off the floor and waits until the portal disappears 10:15:36 PM Crow: You're in a beautiful white marble hallway, with tall, slender arched and glassless windows. Some of the arches are crumbling; if you have to get outside you can probably knock them away and crawl out. 10:15:36 PM Sash: I may only have a very short time to say this before it is irrelevant, but I think this dragon is being set up. 10:15:45 PM Janis: YOU THINK?!? 10:15:46 PM Wynn: You don't say. 10:15:49 PM Iskandar: You know what I read? That all human nobility is the result of inbreeding brother-husbands. 10:16:01 PM Iskandar: I've read it in books, it must be true. 10:16:14 PM Wynn: Let's just go find out what's really going on here. 10:16:16 PM Crow: Some of the ceilings have holes in them and light is shooting through; grass is growing up near the windows and vines cover some of the walls. 10:16:31 PM Iskandar: Iskandar looks around. Does it seem particularly arid? 10:16:43 PM Sash: That enchantment I detected on the wall was much too powerful to be lingering magic from the spell used to shape the stone in the first place. 10:16:47 PM Wynn: Wynn puts her shield on her arm and looks around to pick a direction to walk. 10:16:59 PM Crow: The floor is a mosaic tiled piece, abstract. 10:17:03 PM Crow: It is not arid. 10:17:14 PM Iskandar: Hrm. 10:17:14 PM Janis: Yeah. Hence why you don't let them know we know it's a spell when the bad guy's around. 10:17:23 PM Sash: I guess that makes the vizier the prime suspect 10:17:31 PM Janis: My thoughts exactly. 10:17:46 PM Sash: Either way, we have at most ten minutes before we will be under magical surveilance 10:17:51 PM Iskandar: hey, if she didn't want to be thought of as guilty, she shouldn't have been a vizier. 10:18:12 PM Crow: Roll K: Rel, those of you who have it. 10:18:14 PM Janis: ...this Dragon has a good keep. 10:18:33 PM Iskandar: Most blues prefer caves and arid climates. 10:18:35 PM Sash: ((14)) 10:18:38 PM Iskandar: I know I did. 10:18:55 PM Wynn: ((21.)) 10:19:22 PM Crow: Grayson: Yeah. 10:19:24 PM Janis: Maybe this plane doesn't have anything really arid. 10:19:24 PM Crow: Roll Spot! 10:19:32 PM Wynn: It's a temple, not a keep. 10:19:34 PM Crow: Er. Notice. Whatever. 10:19:39 PM Janis: ((19)) 10:19:44 PM Sash: I wonder to which god this temple was originally consecrated... 10:19:49 PM Wynn: ((19.)) 10:20:06 PM Wynn: Look at the decor. Probably Bahamut. 10:20:14 PM Sash: ((9)) 10:20:14 PM Iskandar: ((26.)) 10:20:23 PM Janis: That would fit with the blue dragon motif, right? 10:20:24 PM Nilani: (( 24 )) 10:20:25 PM Crow: Grayson: Oh, yeah, those are dragons, aren't they. 10:20:57 PM Iskandar: I wouldn't say we're terribly religious folks on the whole. 10:21:33 PM Sash: So not only are we being set up, we are being used as impromptu assassins. No wonder she wanted dragon hunters, those guys are usually more bigoted than fishmongers on a friday 10:21:34 PM Iskandar: Iskandar crouches down to pick something up off the ground at his feet. 10:21:47 PM Iskandar: Also lucky idiots. 10:21:53 PM Iskandar: And they smell. 10:22:04 PM Crow: Grayson: They smell? 10:22:08 PM Janis: What'cha find? 10:22:11 PM Iskandar: Dragon hunters? Yep. 10:22:35 PM Wynn: Wynn shuts her visor. 10:22:35 PM Iskandar: Iskandar holds up a red scale. 10:22:36 PM Sash: So then the question we should try to find the answer to is, who wants the dragon out of the way and why? 10:22:54 PM Janis: ...that's...not blue. 10:23:08 PM Janis: ...I forget, are we usually cool with red dragons, or not? 10:23:33 PM Iskandar: Red dragons? Eh. I've not met one I've ever liked. 10:23:50 PM Iskandar: They tend to incinerate first and ask questions never. 10:23:52 PM Janis: But it's not like the Black Dragon at Mhirit Corp, right? 10:24:08 PM Janis: ...ah...that could be a problem if we're trying for diplomacy. 10:24:09 PM Wynn: The first thing is finding the princess and making sure she's safe. Then we can play politics. 10:24:15 PM Iskandar: Dragons are people. Most are assholes. 10:24:22 PM Janis: Assuming the princess is even here. 10:24:27 PM Crow: Grayson: ... yeah, I didn't think reds were usually very.... ... good. 10:25:37 PM Iskandar: Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that some dragons don't need killing. My aunt Velrandirua is a total lich, for example. Part gorgon, too. Is way too proud of her menagerie. 10:25:38 PM Wynn: Wynn picks a direction that looks promising and starts walking. 10:25:55 PM Janis: Janis follows Wynn. 10:25:57 PM Crow: Wynn heads off down the corridor alone! 10:26:00 PM Crow: Or, with Janis. 10:26:04 PM Crow: Grayson follows her. 10:26:07 PM Crow: Roll spot again! 10:26:08 PM Iskandar: Iskandar is walking as he talks. 10:26:38 PM Janis: ((22)) 10:26:45 PM Nilani: (( 17 )) 10:26:45 PM Iskandar: ((20)) 10:26:51 PM Sash: ((14)) 10:26:53 PM Crow: Grayson: I didn't get any bad vibes from the vizier, though. Did you, Wynn? I mean, there's spells'n'all to cover that, but... 10:26:59 PM Nilani: Nilani brings up the rear. 10:27:08 PM Wynn: ((13.)) 10:27:16 PM Wynn: ...I didn't check. 10:27:31 PM Sash: She certainly seemed to get angry when we insisted on checking the garden 10:27:46 PM Janis: Janis picks up another scale 10:27:50 PM Sash: And she lied about the probable cause of the magic reading 10:27:52 PM Iskandar: Iskandar points out another red scale. 10:28:18 PM Wynn: ....look, we're all agreed that they are not telling the whole truth. So let's just stop making guesses and go find out the truth for ourselves. 10:28:19 PM Janis: ...she wasn't lying earlier. 10:28:26 PM Crow: Grayson: ... well, looks like a dragon does live here, anyhow. 10:28:40 PM Janis: ...at least, not fully. She did seem to think the dragon did...something. 10:28:49 PM Sash: Yes, but does that mean it was anywhere near the castle? 10:29:11 PM Sash: The way I see it she just wants it gone for some reason 10:29:11 PM Iskandar: .... Nilani, can you contact Nation? 10:29:14 PM Janis: I dunno. But I do know she had opportunity and means. 10:29:15 PM Crow: The corridor ends in... another corridor, making sort of a T with the other one. The top part of the T has a door in the middle, and the corridor stretches left and right. 10:29:27 PM Iskandar: I'm curious how far we are from the palace. 10:29:53 PM Janis: Wynn, Grayson, can each of you take a door on either side? 10:29:56 PM Crow: Grayson: Didn't know dragons shed that much. 10:30:18 PM Wynn: There's only one door. 10:30:27 PM Sash: I'm more keenly aware of my forgetfulness in praying for protection against fire this morning... 10:30:27 PM Crow: Yeah, so far you see just one door. 10:30:31 PM Janis: ((I thought there were three)) 10:30:42 PM Crow: You're where the two lines of the T meet. 10:30:48 PM Nilani: Sure, I'll call him. Be ready to say whatever you wanted to say. 10:31:02 PM Janis: Janis checks the door for traps 10:31:10 PM Crow: There's a door leading forward and the corridor goes left and right from here. 10:31:14 PM Crow: Roll for it. 10:31:16 PM Janis: ((15)) 10:31:32 PM Janis: ((How big is the door?)) 10:31:58 PM Crow: Massive, actually; it's a set of double doors with pillars on either side, with dragons carved in them. 10:32:07 PM Crow: Janis finds no traps! 10:32:10 PM Nilani: Nilani activates the communication device and hands it to Isk. 10:32:27 PM Janis: ...Wynn, you wanna take point here? 10:32:35 PM Wynn: Wynn opens the door. 10:32:35 PM Crow: It's locked, though. 10:32:41 PM Iskandar: Iskandar nods in thanks to Nilani. 10:32:42 PM Wynn: Wynn does not open the door. 10:33:26 PM Janis: ...Nilani...help please. 10:33:44 PM Nilani: Sure, let me just grab my picks. 10:33:52 PM Janis: ...how does a dragon lock a door? 10:34:24 PM Iskandar: Huh. 10:34:28 PM Nilani: Nilani rummages around in her satchel until she finds her lockpicks, then attempts to unlock the door! (( 15 )) 10:34:38 PM Iskandar: Kalor, you notice the anti-divination magic around here? 10:34:48 PM Iskandar: I can't get through to Nation. 10:35:25 PM Iskandar: Iskandar puts the communicator away. 10:35:26 PM Sash: I was going to suggest checking the other side of the door, but as you say, there is no way 10:35:38 PM Iskandar: Iskandar pulls out the scales and inspects them. 10:35:43 PM Crow: The door stays locked! 10:35:53 PM Crow: You can probably take a 10 on it and get through, though. 10:36:24 PM Nilani: ((yeah, I'll do so.)) 10:36:36 PM Crow: Roll notice! 10:36:39 PM Iskandar: I'd say it's an adult dragon, at least. These are still pretty shiny. But this red has lived here awhile. Some of these scales are fresher than others. 10:36:40 PM Sash: That also means the only way to detect illusions in this area is the good ol' eyeball mk. I 10:37:11 PM Sash: Probably doesn't mean much to a dragon with permanent truesight though 10:37:25 PM Iskandar: (15) 10:37:27 PM Janis: ((14, shit)) 10:37:43 PM Wynn: ((13.)) 10:37:53 PM Sash: ((19) 10:37:58 PM Nilani: (( 22 )) 10:39:03 PM Crow: The lock clicks open. 10:39:15 PM Janis: This message has been removed. 10:41:29 PM Nilani: Nilani does not immediately open the door. She whispers something back to you guys. "There's something in there." 10:41:41 PM Janis: ...what kind of something? 10:41:55 PM Wynn: Then I'll knock. 10:42:00 PM Nilani: I'm not sure, but it moved. 10:42:02 PM Sash: Well of course there's something in there, this is the largest door 10:42:22 PM Sash: It might as well have a sign reading "Here be dragons" 10:42:38 PM Janis: Janis knocks 10:42:58 PM Wynn: Should've done that first anyway. 10:43:29 PM Nilani: Nilani stands to the side. 10:43:40 PM Crow: No answer. 10:43:51 PM Wynn: Allow me, Janis. 10:44:27 PM Wynn: Wynn opens the door. 10:45:08 PM Crow: Another hallway! This one doesn't have any windows, and the ceiling seems to be intact--it's dark, in other words. 10:45:32 PM Sash: Sash casts dancing lights in globe mode 10:45:45 PM Wynn: Wynn steps forward, carefully. 10:45:46 PM Iskandar: Iskandar looks around with Darkvision. 10:46:03 PM Janis: Janis cautiously enters 10:46:07 PM Janis: "HELLO?" 10:46:46 PM Crow: Janis's voice echoes weirdly in the dark. 10:47:01 PM Crow: The dim light of Kalor's balls illuminates ahahaha, sorry, Kalor's balls. I know, I'm five. 10:47:20 PM Crow: Anyway, you can all see a bit ahead of you. 10:47:27 PM Crow: And there's a dim glow coming from somewhere up ahead as well. 10:47:30 PM Wynn: Wynn starts walking. 10:47:35 PM Sash: Sash spreads the glowing spheres to form a 10 foot square and sends them ahead intot he darkness slowly 10:47:47 PM Nilani: Nilani slinks along. 10:47:50 PM Crow: Roll spot! 10:48:05 PM Janis: ((29)) 10:48:08 PM Wynn: ((21. nat 20)) 10:48:14 PM Nilani: (( 19 )) 10:48:16 PM Iskandar: ((11)) 10:48:23 PM Sash: ((12)) 10:48:24 PM Crow: Doesn't matter for skills, alas. 10:49:01 PM Wynn: Iskandar. Gold scale. 10:49:12 PM Wynn: Wynn points while continuing to look down the corridor. 10:49:16 PM Iskandar: Huh. 10:49:20 PM Iskandar: Iskandar goes to look at it! 10:49:28 PM Iskandar: ((Does this one look older than the others?)) 10:49:55 PM Wynn: Wynn continues walking slowly. 10:50:12 PM Iskandar: ... so there's a gold in here too, somewhere. 10:50:48 PM Sash: Gold dragons are the metallic dragon equivalent to red dragons. By which I mean that they breathe fire. However they are a lot nicer 10:50:51 PM Janis: Guys...there's something up ahead. 10:50:57 PM Janis: .....hello? 10:51:04 PM Iskandar: If you like sanctimonious blowhards. 10:51:06 PM Janis: We're not here to hurt you...probably. 10:51:13 PM Crow: A massive lion comes tearing out of the corridor ahead of you and pounces Wynn. Initiative! 10:51:31 PM Wynn: ((6.)) 10:51:39 PM Sash: ((2)) 10:51:46 PM Iskandar: ((16)) 10:51:52 PM Nilani: (( 11 )) 10:51:58 PM Janis: ((23)) 10:53:21 PM Crow: The lion rakes at her face and bites! 10:53:48 PM Crow: Round 1: Janis, Iskandar, Nilani, Wynn, Lion, Sash! 10:53:51 PM Crow: Janis 10:54:03 PM Wynn: Wynn yells in pain! 10:54:16 PM Janis: Janis casts Speak With Animals. "WAIT! STOP!" 10:54:30 PM Crow: Oh, and Grayson at the end. Sorry, Grayson. 10:54:37 PM Crow: That all? 10:55:03 PM Janis: Janis draws her bow too...I guess, if the lion doesn't say anything back. 10:55:18 PM Crow: The lion can answer on its turn! 10:55:21 PM Crow: Iskandar 10:58:07 PM Iskandar: Iskandar is gonna breathe at the lion with frost and use weakening breath. Reflex 16 to save for half damage. 10:58:33 PM Crow: Full damage! 10:58:36 PM Crow: How much? 10:59:11 PM Iskandar: 12 Frost damage, and it's at -6 STR for 4 rounds. Wynn seems to be protected somehow, as the cloud of frost just kinda goes around her. 10:59:30 PM Crow: Nilani 11:00:52 PM Nilani: Nilani moves to flank with someone, and attempts to give the critter a good stab! 11:01:08 PM Crow: Wynn counts as flanking, probably. 11:01:17 PM Crow: ... from underneath the lion, but. 11:02:23 PM Crow: Hit! 11:03:25 PM Crow: Wynn 11:03:42 PM Wynn: ((Can I heal myself without penalty?)) 11:03:46 PM Crow: Nilani stabs the lion in the gut! 11:03:53 PM Crow: It gets an AOO. 11:03:59 PM Nilani: ((16, 2 of which is fire. Oh joy.)) 11:04:25 PM Wynn: Wynn tries to push it off of her? 11:04:49 PM Crow: You're technically not grappled, so you can squirm away from it and then heal. 11:04:57 PM Wynn: Wynn will do that then! 11:05:07 PM Crow: Right! 11:05:41 PM Crow: The lion snarls out "HUNGRY!!!" and attacks Wynn again! 11:06:33 PM Janis: "WE HAVE FOOD! THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN!" 11:07:15 PM Crow: The lion rakes at her armor, producing a painful SCREEEEEEEEE sound. 11:07:46 PM Crow: Kalor 11:08:37 PM Sash: How about you pick on someone your own size? ((Casts summon monster III: Celestial black bear)) 11:08:50 PM Crow: Okay! What does the bear do? 11:08:58 PM Crow: Or does that start next round, I forget. 11:09:36 PM Sash: ((Acts immediately on my turn, and it attacks the lion, trying to get it off Wynn)) 11:09:42 PM Crow: Roll! 11:14:32 PM Crow: The animals go toe-to-toe! 11:14:54 PM Crow: The lion's not looking so great anymore! 11:15:28 PM Crow: Grayson takes a swing at the lion, but misses, cudgel slamming into the tiles. 11:15:44 PM Crow: Round 2: Janis, Iskandar, Nilani, Wynn, Lion, Kalor, Grayson! 11:15:48 PM Crow: Janis 11:17:29 PM Janis: Janis fires an arrow 11:17:57 PM Crow: Miss! 11:18:01 PM Crow: Iskandar 11:18:22 PM Iskandar: Iskandar gestures and launches magic missles! 11:18:38 PM Crow: Damage! 11:18:56 PM Iskandar: 7 pts. 11:19:18 PM Crow: The lion looks pretty bad! 11:19:23 PM Crow: Nilani 11:20:22 PM Nilani: Nilani continues stabbitystabbing, switching to another spot if this one no longer allows her to flank. 11:20:40 PM Crow: She can flank! 11:21:51 PM Crow: Nilani stabs the lion in the lung, and it slumps over, panting and unconscious. 11:21:54 PM Crow: End initiative! 11:22:05 PM Crow: Grayson: Wynn! Are you all right? 11:22:16 PM Wynn: Better now. 11:22:42 PM Janis: Janis puts her bow away 11:22:48 PM Sash: I can heal you 11:22:51 PM Crow: Grayson touches the lion. 11:23:03 PM Wynn: Wynn raises an eyebrow at Kalor. "That's new." 11:23:12 PM Sash: So is the bear 11:23:18 PM Crow: Grayson: What did it say? 11:23:25 PM Wynn: Well thank you for that. 11:23:29 PM Janis: ...it said it was hungry. 11:23:31 PM Crow: Grayson: All I heard was "Grarrrr." 11:23:33 PM Sash: "GWAR!" Mostly 11:23:48 PM Janis: That's all it said. 11:23:53 PM Sash: Sash pats the bear on the head as it disappears 11:24:19 PM Crow: Grayson: ... well, I stabilized it, so it probably won't die. 11:24:29 PM Crow: Grayson: Does anyone have some meat or something? 11:24:38 PM Janis: Janis pulls some jerky out of her pack 11:24:41 PM Janis: Thanks. 11:25:07 PM Sash: Sash pulls out a package of rations and hands it to Janis 11:25:09 PM Crow: Grayson: It's just an animal. 11:25:17 PM Crow: Grayson: ... at least, I think so. 11:25:25 PM Janis: So are you. So's everyone here. 11:25:26 PM Crow: He peers at it. "... no darkness that I can see." 11:25:45 PM Sash: ((So how injured is Wynn?)) 11:25:46 PM Wynn: Wynn lifts her visor. 11:25:57 PM Crow: Grayson: Yes, but animals are innocent. 11:25:58 PM Wynn: ((still down 20)) 11:26:19 PM Iskandar: Iskandar looks around the area. 11:26:30 PM Crow: PAUSE for a 10 minute bathroom break. 11:34:39 PM Crow: Well, everyone's back, so. 11:34:42 PM Crow: UNPAUSE. 11:34:52 PM Sash: May the light of Aventernus soothe your spirit, and the salt of the ocean stem your bleeding. ((Spontaneous conversion Animate Dead to Cure Serious Wounds)) 11:34:54 PM Crow: Roll Notice! 11:35:18 PM Wynn: ((12.)) 11:35:24 PM Nilani: (( 17 )) 11:35:29 PM Iskandar: ((16)) 11:35:29 PM Sash: ((That's 20 hp recovered for Wynn)) 11:35:38 PM Janis: ((19)) 11:35:39 PM Wynn: ((perfect.)) 11:35:42 PM Wynn: Thank you, Kalor. 11:35:49 PM Sash: ((11)) 11:36:22 PM Sash: All in a day's work, sir knight 11:37:15 PM Janis: More scales 11:37:18 PM Janis: Red and gold. 11:37:22 PM Iskandar: Hmmm. 11:37:23 PM Crow: You're still in a corridor! There's a glow coming from ahead of you. 11:37:30 PM Iskandar: They don't usually get along terribly well. 11:37:38 PM Wynn: Wynn draws her mace this time and takes point again. 11:37:41 PM Iskandar: Maybe one of them chased the other out. 11:37:51 PM Iskandar: Or they are engaging in forbidden love. 11:38:12 PM Crow: The group heads forward! 11:38:55 PM Crow: Eventually the corridor ends in a gigantic room, with benches on either side; probably the sanctuary. 11:39:03 PM Crow: The biggest feature, though, is where the altar used to be. 11:39:06 PM Crow: Or still could be. 11:39:27 PM Crow: It's hard to tell, what with the massive pile of gold, gems and random magic junk that's sitting there in a heap. 11:39:28 PM Iskandar: You know what else is terrible about dragonhunters? Dragonskin armor. It'd be like if Janis wore the skin of her last bounty as armor. 11:39:36 PM Iskandar: ...oh my. 11:39:56 PM Crow: Grayson: ... could you make it out of... found... scales.... okay, I think that's more wealth than I've ever seen in one place before. 11:40:06 PM Janis: ...right...cause I've never done that before...that'd be...terrible. 11:40:27 PM Janis: Janis avoids eye contact 11:40:37 PM Wynn: Gross. 11:40:41 PM Crow: It's a pile taller than anybody here and it takes up the whole altar space, reaching to the nose of a Bahamut statue behind it. 11:40:53 PM Wynn: Wynn looks around. 11:40:57 PM Crow: There's a dragon-shaped dent in it. 11:41:03 PM Iskandar: Iskandar calls out in draconic. "Hello?" 11:41:13 PM Crow: No answer. 11:41:24 PM Sash: Well, I think we can say with certainty that there's a dragon around here. 11:42:14 PM Wynn: I doubt it's an evil dragon though. No residual aura. 11:42:25 PM Sash: What I'm wondering is why the only guard for this place was a starved lion. I mean, either I would imagine no additional guard was necessary or that it would be more... Powerful. 11:42:34 PM Wynn: Let's keep looking. 11:42:37 PM Iskandar: An asshole dragon would have gotten rid of the statue, too. 11:42:43 PM Janis: ...you can tell if anyone who's been through here has been evil, Wynn? 11:43:04 PM Wynn: If there was a very powerful evil dragon that slept in here regularly? Yes. 11:43:39 PM Sash: Then hopefully we can talk to the dragon and get tot he bottom of all this 11:43:39 PM Crow: There's also a couple of odd-looking objects on either side of the room. 11:43:54 PM Wynn: My own aura would probably linger here for a few hours. 11:44:05 PM Crow: Two half-pedestals, with T-shaped sticks coming out of them. 11:44:31 PM Crow: One on either side of the sanctuary. 11:44:44 PM Iskandar: Iskandar goes to look at one of them. 11:45:01 PM Iskandar: ((How big is it?)) 11:45:15 PM Crow: The half-pedestal comes up to your waist. 11:45:22 PM Crow: The stick a bit further up. 11:45:32 PM Iskandar: Any animal poop? 11:45:39 PM Iskandar: Like giant birds have been roosting here? 11:45:43 PM Crow: Nope. 11:46:28 PM Iskandar: ... so. Some kind of lever. Dragon-sized. 11:46:43 PM Iskandar: some residual magic. 11:46:52 PM Wynn: I'd rather not go moving things about until we're sure nobody's here. 11:47:02 PM Crow: Grayson: And we're sure of what it does. 11:47:07 PM Wynn: Wynn nods. 11:47:21 PM Wynn: All we need is to break something in a big dragon's house... who happens to be innocent. 11:47:52 PM Wynn: Which also means nobody touches the treasure. 11:48:09 PM Iskandar: Yeah, yeah. 11:48:18 PM Wynn: Let's go check one of those corridors. 11:48:27 PM Crow: Grayson: Is it allowed to steal other dragons' hoards? 11:48:46 PM Sash: Sash takes a gold piece out of his pouch and tosses it on the pile 11:49:20 PM Iskandar: Only with a proper fight. Sneaking in and stealing it like a common humanoid is pretty bad taste. 11:49:23 PM Crow: Grayson nods and starts heading back the way you came! 11:49:30 PM Iskandar: Iskandar follows. 11:49:38 PM Sash: Sash follows 11:49:42 PM Crow: Grayson: Something most dragons wouldn't do. 11:49:47 PM Wynn: Wynn too! 11:49:55 PM Iskandar: Mmm. I mean, some don't care. 11:49:58 PM Crow: Soon you're back at the top of the T-junction again. 11:50:10 PM Crow: Although now it's more like the center of a + sign. 11:50:10 PM Iskandar: Some are just sneaky. Or they work through agents. 11:50:28 PM Crow: Grayson: Yeah. Never trust a dragon. 11:50:33 PM Iskandar: Hmph. 11:50:34 PM Crow: Grayson: I hear they're almost as bad as humans. 11:50:59 PM Iskandar: so, left or right? 11:51:11 PM Wynn: Wynn heads right. 11:51:20 PM Janis: Janis follows 11:51:20 PM Crow: You head right! 11:51:46 PM Iskandar: Iskandar does as well! 11:52:21 PM Crow: This area's brighter, once again, with plenty of light coming in through windows and holes in the ceiling. 11:52:30 PM Crow: Eventually the corridor deadends, with a door on your right. 11:52:44 PM Wynn: Wynn knocks. 11:52:56 PM Crow: No answer. 11:53:04 PM Janis: Janis shouts "HELLO! WE'RE NOT HERE TO KILL YOU!" 11:53:20 PM Iskandar: That is very reassuring. 11:53:26 PM Wynn: Wynn stands ready and waits for someone to check/open the door. 11:53:27 PM Janis: Thanks. 11:53:42 PM Sash: As a matter of fact we would be more interested in speaking to you... 11:53:50 PM Iskandar: ... I wonder how much time before these Pentaghosts show up. 11:54:14 PM Crow: No answer. 11:54:22 PM Iskandar: Hrm. 11:54:29 PM Crow: Grayson: I don't know, but we're not letting them have the hoard either. 11:54:32 PM Wynn: Someone want to check it? 11:54:37 PM Iskandar: Iskandar pulls out the thing the Vizier gave me and inspects it. 11:55:12 PM Crow: Looks like a normal diamond! 11:55:52 PM Iskandar: Hmm. 11:55:57 PM Iskandar: Iskandar puts it back. 11:56:05 PM Iskandar: Iskandar is not the trap nor lock guy. 11:56:14 PM Janis: Janis tries the door 11:56:29 PM Crow: Locked! 11:56:35 PM Iskandar: ((How big is this door?)) 11:57:00 PM Crow: Doubledoors again. 11:57:12 PM Iskandar: ((like... dragon big, or humanoid big?)) 11:57:28 PM Crow: Humanoid big. 11:57:43 PM Crow: The temple is built on a human scale, but made also to be comfortable if a fullgrown dragon wanted to come in. 11:57:52 PM Iskandar: ((kk, thanks.)) 11:58:10 PM Nilani: Nilani attempts to pick the lock! 11:58:14 PM Crow: Roll! 11:58:25 PM Nilani: (( 18 )) 11:58:33 PM Crow: The lock clicks open! 11:58:50 PM Nilani: Nilani stands back to allow the others to pass. 12:00:33 AM Wynn: Wynn opens it and goes through. 12:01:45 AM Iskandar: Iskandar peers in. 12:02:05 AM Janis: Janis goes in 12:02:38 AM Crow: Looks like a short corridor. There's almost NO ceiling here, so it's plenty bright. 12:02:55 AM Crow: Downside is, there's also a lot of vegetation. It might remind you of home, in fact! 12:03:25 AM Crow: At the end of the hallway, there's another one of the devices from the Hoard Room: a half-pillar with a T-shaped stick on top. 12:03:30 AM Janis: ...I wonder if the plants know anything about the princess. 12:03:54 AM Iskandar: Can you talk to plants? .... well, of course you can. But do they talk to you? 12:04:09 AM Crow: Grayson: Maybe there isn't even a princess. 12:04:24 AM Crow: Grayson: How easy would it be to enspell someone into thinking they had a daughter? He didn't mention a wife. 12:04:29 AM Janis: Janis smirks and casts Speak with Plants 12:04:37 AM Iskandar: The thought has occurred. 12:04:38 AM Janis: "Hello. My name is Janis." 12:05:18 AM Sash: Actually it is quite difficult to enspell someone into genuinely believing they have a daughter 12:05:25 AM Janis: "Sorry to bother you vine. We were hoping you could help us. We're looking for another humanoid, like us." 12:05:51 AM Sash: But just make them obsess over something is much easier... 12:06:09 AM Janis: There was another two legs here? Which way did they go? 12:06:34 AM Janis: ...can you tell us which way? 12:06:56 AM Janis: ...what about the large wooden planks. Do you know what they do? 12:07:04 AM Iskandar: So that's three of these levers. 12:08:13 AM Janis: ...can you see? Like...um...is everything in darkness? 12:09:23 AM Janis: ...I don't understand...um...the levers...they lead to the darkness? Where you cannot go? 12:09:43 AM Iskandar: Well... they're plants. They don't grow so well in darkness. 12:10:25 AM Janis: Yes, but what happens when they do that? Did the other person...the two legs? Did they pull the lever, when they were here? 12:12:24 AM Janis: ...thank you. You can...go back to growing now...thanks. 12:12:33 AM Janis: Janis uncasts "speak with plants" 12:12:35 AM Iskandar: Anything useful? 12:12:47 AM Janis: Ok, for the record, plants, way different than animals. 12:13:08 AM Janis: They say another person was here, not a dragon, one with two legs. 12:13:18 AM Iskandar: Well, or a shapeshifted dragon. 12:13:28 AM Wynn: Just one? 12:13:35 AM Janis: And that whoever came through here pulled that lever and then...how did they phrase it..."went into darkness". 12:13:53 AM Janis: They only said "two legs came and left". 12:13:55 AM Sash: Sash pulls the lever 12:15:11 AM Iskandar: Iskandar watches to see what happens! 12:15:45 AM Crow: He can't really pull it, but he can push it down. 12:16:07 AM Crow: It settles into a slight depression in the stone with an emphatic click. 12:16:14 AM Crow: Nothing else seems to happen. 12:16:40 AM Sash: Well, that is odd 12:16:53 AM Sash: I would have expected a door to open 12:17:06 AM Wynn: Maybe they have to be pressed in pairs. 12:17:12 AM Janis: Maybe we need to switch the others in the treasure room too. 12:17:39 AM Iskandar: This message has been removed. 12:17:51 AM Crow: ((Hi Wennie!)) 12:18:06 AM Iskandar: Yeah, probably. 12:18:13 AM Iskandar: Should we check the other hallway first? 12:18:28 AM Crow: Grayson: Sounds like a good idea to me. 12:18:50 AM Janis: A few of us should stay here and see if anything happens. 12:18:54 AM Wynn: Wynn turns to walk down the hall. 12:18:58 AM Wynn: Just stay together. 12:19:07 AM Crow: Grayson: I think ... yeah. For now. 12:19:11 AM Crow: Grayson: We can always split up later. 12:19:12 AM Iskandar: It'll be easy enough to come back. 12:19:19 AM Janis: Ok. 12:19:28 AM Crow: You go back down the hallway and to the turn. 12:19:51 AM Crow: Eventually you pass the door to the Hoard Room and keep going, I assume? 12:19:59 AM Iskandar: ((Yep!)) 12:20:20 AM Crow: When that hallway deadends, there's another door to your left--this one's a bit different from the others, though. 12:21:17 AM Janis: Janis tries that door 12:21:25 AM Crow: It's still a double set, but it seems heavier, and made of metal. There's a beautiful frieze of three dragons on it; one is rising up in midair, with wings spread and teeth bared; the other two are lying down. 12:21:53 AM Wynn: Wynn raises an eyebrow. 12:22:02 AM Janis: Janis tries to open it 12:22:03 AM Sash: Intriguing 12:22:29 AM Iskandar: Hmmm. 12:22:42 AM Crow: The door has no handles. 12:22:45 AM Wynn: What do you think, Iskandar? 12:23:03 AM Iskandar: Iskandar looks it over. 12:23:14 AM Sash: Of course! "Disappeared into the darkness" 12:23:33 AM Iskandar: Metallics. Gold, silver, copper. 12:23:38 AM Iskandar: Iskandar points at the dragons on the door. 12:23:45 AM Wynn: More epiphanies you're keeping to yourself, Kalor? 12:23:53 AM Sash: The two legs just went there to push the lever and then left, the plants probably see all doors that's not in sunlight as darkness 12:24:10 AM Iskandar: The copper one is the one flying. 12:24:24 AM Wynn: ....yeah.... and? 12:25:04 AM Sash: So we have no idea if that's where the door even opens, or if the levers do something else, like opening this apparently unopenable door, for example 12:25:12 AM Sash: Three levers, three dragons 12:25:25 AM Wynn: Wynn pushes the door, just to check. 12:25:41 AM Crow: It is not moved! 12:25:58 AM Wynn: Wynn sighs. "Let's go push the others then." 12:26:10 AM Iskandar: Maybe. I don't think the levers were made of different metals, were they? 12:26:20 AM Janis: Janis goes to pull the other levers 12:26:29 AM Crow: Grayson follows Janis! 12:26:39 AM Wynn: Wynn goes too. 12:26:44 AM Iskandar: Iskandar goes with the group. 12:27:31 AM Janis: Janis pulls the first lever when she gets there 12:27:52 AM Crow: The lever pushes down, and clicks. 12:27:54 AM Iskandar: Iskandar will get the other lever. 12:28:01 AM Crow: The third one also clicks. 12:28:09 AM Wynn: Wynn heads back. 12:28:12 AM Crow: The lion watches, unimpresssed. 12:28:33 AM Janis: ...I know you can't understand me anymore, but we're really sorry... 12:28:37 AM Janis: Janis runs off 12:28:38 AM Crow: The door has changed; all three dragons are in flight now! 12:28:53 AM Crow: It had eaten the jerky, so there was that. 12:29:17 AM Iskandar: Can we open it now? 12:29:23 AM Crow: There's still no handle. 12:29:39 AM Janis: ...ok...maybe it's not a door... 12:29:49 AM Iskandar: Iskandar pushes it. 12:30:23 AM Wynn: Wynn frowns. "I hate puzzles." 12:30:42 AM Crow: The door swings open! 12:30:44 AM Iskandar: What do you like? 12:30:52 AM Crow: It doesn't even squeak. 12:31:01 AM Crow: Grayson: Bards, apparently. 12:31:19 AM Iskandar: I just assume you 'dislike' as a default. 12:31:29 AM Iskandar: Iskandar peers in through the door! 12:31:32 AM Crow: Grayson: She likes horses, too. 12:31:38 AM Wynn: Wynn walks through the door. 12:31:42 AM Janis: And shape-shifters. 12:31:44 AM Crow: Grayson: Beating the tar out of me. 12:31:55 AM Wynn: Are we done now? 12:32:00 AM Crow: It's more hallway! But the ceiling here is intact again, so it's dark. 12:32:07 AM Crow: Dark-dark. 12:32:08 AM Janis: ...well...I can't think of anything else...so... 12:32:18 AM Iskandar: Iskandar summons the lights this time. 12:32:18 AM Sash: Sash casts light 12:32:21 AM Crow: Grayson: She likes lots of things, we're just teasing. 12:32:24 AM Crow: Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. 12:32:31 AM Crow: It's just a hallway. Up ahead it turns right. 12:32:37 AM Crow: Roll Notice! 12:32:52 AM Wynn: ((6.)) 12:32:52 AM Janis: ((16)) 12:32:57 AM Sash: ((7)) 12:32:59 AM Iskandar: ((22)) 12:33:04 AM Wynn: Wynn grips her shield and mace. 12:33:45 AM Iskandar: Iskandar bends down and picks up another red scale. 12:34:03 AM Nilani: ((Would someone mind rolling a d20+10 for me? Tablet shenanigans. )) 12:34:15 AM Nilani: ((Oop, nevermind.)) 12:34:23 AM Janis: ((Nilani has a 23, for the record)) 12:34:58 AM Nilani: (( ^_^ )) 12:34:59 AM Iskandar: Look.... there was an old trap here. 12:35:06 AM Iskandar: Doesn't work anymore. 12:35:11 AM Iskandar: Iskandar points it out. 12:35:36 AM Iskandar: So this would be the secure part of the temple. 12:35:52 AM Crow: Grayson: Why wouldn't they put the hoard in this part, then? 12:36:21 AM Janis: Because they have something even more precious to secure. 12:36:22 AM Iskandar: Maybe there's not as much room down here. 12:36:28 AM Wynn: Wynn continues on. 12:36:42 AM Crow: Grayson: Wait, so the dragon is the bad guy? 12:36:48 AM Crow: Another Notice! 12:37:09 AM Wynn: ((3.)) 12:37:14 AM Janis: ((I got 28, Nilani got 19)) 12:37:18 AM Iskandar: ((18)) 12:37:36 AM Crow: Wynn falls into a pit of spikes! 12:38:08 AM Sash: ((4)) 12:38:18 AM Iskandar: Wynn! 12:38:49 AM Crow: The spikes are so old they splinter under her armor when she lands, though. 12:38:58 AM Wynn: I'm fine. 12:39:07 AM Iskandar: Can you climb out of there? 12:39:08 AM Crow: The fall probably hurt. 12:39:10 AM Wynn: Wynn gets to her feet, carefully. 12:39:23 AM Crow: But the spikes disintegrated. 12:39:53 AM Crow: They're not really a danger anymore, although they are covered with dust and anyone with hay fever should probably not go down there. 12:40:09 AM Wynn: Wynn looks up to see how high the ledge is. 12:40:18 AM Crow: 20 feet up. 12:40:34 AM Crow: It's a pretty narrow trap. 12:40:42 AM Iskandar: Iskandar casts Levitate on her. 12:40:53 AM Crow: Wynn can just zip right up there now. 12:41:01 AM Wynn: Wynn does so, kinda awkwardly. 12:41:09 AM Crow: It is fun! 12:41:22 AM Iskandar: Zoooom. 12:41:40 AM Crow: Grayson: Anybody got a rope? 12:41:51 AM Iskandar: Yeah, I have some. 12:42:04 AM Wynn: Wynn goes to the other side of the trap! 12:42:37 AM Crow: With a rope and some due care, it's not too hard to get everyone to the other side of the trap. 12:43:13 AM Crow: The corridor takes another right turn after that, and you find yourselves facing yet another door. 12:43:53 AM Crow: Double-doors, gemmed and jeweled, with a great image of Bahamut in precious metals on it. 12:44:08 AM Iskandar: .... nice doors. 12:44:13 AM Wynn: Wynn knocks. 12:44:21 AM Crow: Grayson: Surprised they weren't in the hoard. 12:44:32 AM Crow: There's no answer. 12:44:59 AM Iskandar: Well, whoever took this place over had some respect for Elder Brother. 12:45:04 AM Wynn: Wynn holsters her mace and attempts to open the door. 12:45:19 AM Crow: The door opens easily! 12:47:16 AM Crow: Into a big room. One corner of it is set up a bit like a living room, with a cozy fireplace and a table and chairs, and even a couch in front of the fireplace. There's a roaring fire, and the table is beautifully set with two plates, two glasses, two sets of gold plated silverware. Everything is very high quality, and there are beautiful wall-hangings and rugs that keep all of it human-scale. 12:47:37 AM Crow: Judging by the size of the room, none of that stuff but the fireplace was really supposed to be there, but it's about as cozy as it could be. 12:47:42 AM Janis: ...we walk in on a date? 12:47:44 AM Iskandar: .... someone had a date. 12:47:48 AM Sash: I think I just figured it out... 12:48:02 AM Janis: The dragon and the princess are dating, aren't they? 12:48:03 AM Wynn: Princess wasn't abducted. 12:48:05 AM Iskandar: Yep. 12:48:12 AM Crow: In the other corner there's a person chained to a wall. 12:48:13 AM Iskandar: Vizier doesn't like. 12:48:21 AM Iskandar: ..... or not. 12:48:29 AM Janis: Janis goes to check the person 12:49:16 AM Sash: Didn't the sultan mention a dragon that helped him previously? 12:49:33 AM Crow: They're chained up pretty securely, and gagged, too. Looks to be wearing dark wizard's robes with a hood. And they're making MMFF!! MMFF!! sounds. 12:49:55 AM Wynn: Wynn pulls the gag out. 12:50:04 AM Janis: ...this looks a lot more suspicious now. 12:50:04 AM Sash: And there were both gold and red scales 12:50:30 AM Wynn: Can we get these chains off? 12:50:33 AM Sash: I'm pretty sure there's two dragons around 12:50:34 AM Crow: Person: She's behind you! 12:50:37 AM Crow: Initiative! 12:50:55 AM Janis: ((11)) 12:51:01 AM Wynn: ((6.) 12:51:03 AM Sash: ((14)) 12:51:15 AM Iskandar: ((6.)) 12:52:27 AM Janis: ((Nilani got a 6, sorry Nilani)) 12:52:29 AM Crow: Round 1: Kalor, ???, Grayson, Janis, Nilani, Iskandar, Wynn, 12:52:35 AM Crow: Kalor 12:53:15 AM Sash: Sash spins around and casts bull's strength on Wynn 12:53:24 AM Crow: Good call! 12:53:27 AM Sash: Lady vizier, I presume! 12:54:00 AM Crow: Roll reflex! 12:54:09 AM Janis: ((Everyone?)) 12:54:26 AM Sash: ((crit fail)) 12:54:35 AM Crow: Everyone. 12:54:44 AM Wynn: ((15.)) 12:54:49 AM Iskandar: ((6)) 12:54:58 AM Janis: ((20)) 12:55:01 AM Iskandar: (( 6.)) 12:55:13 AM Crow: Isk and Kalor, take 21 damage! 12:55:14 AM Janis: ((33 for Nilani)) 12:55:30 AM Iskandar: ((What kind?)) 12:55:34 AM Crow: Everyone else, take 10 unless you have that ref-save-means-no-damage rogue dealiebobbie. 12:55:37 AM Crow: Fire. 12:55:58 AM Crow: A fireball blooms all around you, filling most of the room that isn't near the fireplace and crisping everything. 12:56:20 AM Crow: The person in chains gets hit too, but doesn't seem to notice all that much. 12:57:01 AM Crow: A voice from the air shouts: I'll BURN YOU ALL. 12:57:18 AM Iskandar: ((ow.)) 12:57:32 AM Crow: Grayson isn't sure what to do, so he takes up a defensive stance and gets the hell away from everyone else. 12:57:35 AM Crow: Janis 12:57:58 AM Janis: Janis looks for what attacked them and readies her bow 12:58:40 AM Crow: You can make a guess based on the voice; that tells you which square. 12:59:14 AM Janis: Janis hesitates 12:59:24 AM Janis: ...Come out! I don't want to hurt you! 12:59:32 AM Crow: They are still invisible after that fireball, though. 12:59:54 AM Janis: Janis holds and waits 1:00:09 AM Crow: Nilani 1:01:18 AM Crow: and Iskandar 1:02:52 AM Iskandar: Iskandar yells out "Settle down, you idiot," In draconic. In true Draconic. Which means he says it with a cone of Frost aimed vaguely at where the voice came from. 1:02:59 AM Crow: Hee. 1:03:10 AM Iskandar: DC 16 if it hits. 1:03:16 AM Crow: Ref save is what? Ahhh. 1:03:29 AM Crow: Big old fail on that. 1:03:47 AM Iskandar: Bleh. 7 pts. of Cold damage. 1:04:28 AM Crow: Voice: I'll KILL YOU ALL. 1:04:42 AM Crow: Wynn 1:05:13 AM Crow: The captive struggles a bit. 1:05:24 AM Wynn: Wynn causes her shield to burst into flame and steps forward. "Then get down here and face me." 1:05:28 AM Nilani: Nilani casts a spell! If that d10 was anything other than a one, she can see invisible things! 1:05:38 AM Crow: It was not a 1! 1:06:51 AM Crow: Round 2: Kalor, ???, Grayson, Janis, Nilani, Iskandar, Wynn 1:06:54 AM Crow: Kalor 1:07:50 AM Sash: Casts cure moderate wounds on himself 1:07:52 AM Crow: Kalor? 1:08:08 AM Crow: Smart move. 1:08:14 AM Crow: ??? 1:08:16 AM Sash: ((13 hp)) 1:09:07 AM Nilani: Guys, that's not the dragon attacking us. 1:09:17 AM Sash: I know! 1:09:23 AM Janis: ...is it the Vizier? 1:09:26 AM Nilani: That's the princess 1:09:35 AM Janis: ........ok..... 1:10:17 AM Crow: A couple of globs of acid fly out of nowhere and hit Wynn. 1:10:24 AM Crow: 7 damage! 1:10:29 AM Sash: So then who is the other dragon? Aside from the gold one chained up on the wall over there. 1:10:36 AM Wynn: Coward! 1:10:44 AM Crow: The chained person: Help, get me out of here, I can help! 1:10:50 AM Iskandar: Working on it! 1:11:08 AM Crow: Grayson runs to the chained person and starts bashing the chains with his mace. 1:11:18 AM Crow: Janis 1:11:55 AM Janis: Janis casts flame blade and tries to help Grayson by burning the chains off with her new flame sword. 1:12:28 AM Crow: Ooh. Damage/hardness? 1:12:40 AM Crow: Nilani can see her. 1:12:58 AM Janis: ((1d8 + 2 dam per hit)) 1:13:16 AM Crow: The heat will help, but it might take a couple of rounds to get him out! 1:13:44 AM Crow: Nilani and also Iskandar 1:14:03 AM Nilani: Nilani looks around for any other invisible folks. 1:14:11 AM Crow: No other invisible folks, just the one. 1:15:21 AM Iskandar: Iskandar goes over to help with the enchanted chains, trying to use his lightning breath to bust them. 1:16:00 AM Crow: Wynn 1:16:56 AM Crow: Wynn? 1:17:06 AM Wynn: ((Sorry!)) 1:17:06 AM Crow: Nilani You can do more than look too, if you want. 1:17:18 AM Crow: Since you can see her and all. 1:17:19 AM Wynn: ((Still no idea where anyone is?)) 1:17:28 AM Crow: You know which square she's in, but that's it. 1:17:44 AM Crow: And there's not much room around the prisoner to try and help with the chain issue, either. 1:18:34 AM Wynn: Wynn will do her best to get into melee with the enemy. 1:19:41 AM Crow: She can do that! 1:19:51 AM Crow: She will have a 50% miss chance, but can attack this round! 1:20:12 AM Wynn: ((Want me to roll percent first then?)) 1:20:20 AM Crow: Nilani vanishes! 1:20:25 AM Crow: Either way, up to you. 1:20:49 AM Wynn: ((high or low? lol 56)) 1:20:59 AM Crow: High! 1:21:07 AM Crow: It's always high in D&D. 1:21:11 AM Crow: roll to attack! 1:21:20 AM Wynn: ((15)) 1:21:25 AM Crow: Miss, unfortunately! 1:21:28 AM Sash: ((Remeber that you have +4 strength)) 1:21:49 AM Crow: Round 3: Kalor, ???, Grayson, Janis, Nilani, Iskandar, Wynn 1:21:52 AM Crow: Kalor 1:22:27 AM Sash: ((Writes a note for DM)) 1:26:23 AM Sash: Sash Waggles his fingers and points to a spot besides him "I call upon the, come forth my master!" 1:26:42 AM Crow: Kalor summons a gigantic fucking blue dragon, and it is MASSIVE. It snaps at the empty air near the antagonist, but its jaws close on empty air. 1:26:49 AM Crow: ??? 1:27:08 AM Crow: There's a little scream of surprise and the sound of a spell being cast. 1:27:51 AM Crow: Grayson keeps working on the chains! 1:27:58 AM Crow: CLANG. 1:28:01 AM Crow: Janis 1:28:13 AM Janis: Janis does likewise. Burn the chains. 1:28:40 AM Crow: They're getting hotter and it looks like you're making headway! 1:28:45 AM Crow: Nilani 1:28:54 AM Nilani: She went up the wall! 1:30:50 AM Nilani: Nilani indicates where, and casts magic missile! (( roll the d10. If it's not one, then do 3d4+3?)) 1:31:00 AM Crow: ((Not a one!)) 1:31:21 AM Crow: 19 damage! 1:32:29 AM Crow: Well, not quite, sorry. I added an extra number in there. 1:32:36 AM Crow: THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, OKAY. 1:32:39 AM Crow: Iskandar 1:32:55 AM Crow: And Wynn 1:32:59 AM Iskandar: Iskandar keeps working on the chains. 1:33:28 AM Wynn: Wynn will attempt a dual attack with the last round of fire shield... 1:33:52 AM Crow: Roll, you can tell which square she's in again! 1:34:06 AM Crow: Alas. 1:34:07 AM Wynn: ((Well poop)) 1:34:13 AM Crow: Two flails! 1:34:36 AM Crow: Round 4: Kalor, ???, Grayson, Janis, Nilani, Iskandar, Wynn 1:34:40 AM Crow: Kalor 1:37:09 AM Crow: The gigantic blue dragon slathers the room in lightning, frying several chairs and half a wall hanging. 1:37:32 AM Sash: ((Casts Doom on the princess)) Luck is not on your side! 1:37:53 AM Crow: ((What's that do again?)) 1:38:06 AM Sash: ((-2 on attacks, defense and saves)) 1:38:07 AM Crow: ??? 1:38:14 AM Crow: Ouch, nice. 1:39:16 AM Sash: ((No wait, just saves, attack and ability rolls, no - to AC)) 1:39:26 AM Crow: *nod 1:39:28 AM Crow: Right, right. 1:39:38 AM Crow: A fireball blooms in the room again! 1:40:07 AM Crow: But it's only aimed at the big blue dragon, which howls and sizzles a bit, clearly burned. The room begins to smell liked charred giant-lizard. 1:40:20 AM Crow: Grayson works at the chains and makes some progress! 1:40:22 AM Crow: Janis 1:40:35 AM Janis: Janis is still workin' them chains. 1:41:07 AM Crow: Janis smashes one of the chains apart, finally, leaving the captive with one hand free. 1:41:24 AM Crow: Nilani 1:42:20 AM Crow: And Iskandar 1:42:41 AM Iskandar: Iskandar keeps working on the chains. Zap zap zap. 1:43:02 AM Crow: Almost... there. 1:43:17 AM Crow: Wynn 1:44:01 AM Wynn: Wynn attempts a dual strike, though her shield is no longer on fire. 1:44:21 AM Crow: Second one will worrrrrk. 1:44:35 AM Wynn: ... 1:44:36 AM Crow: Miss, unfortunatelyyyy. 1:44:51 AM Nilani: Nilani stabbitystabs at the princess! (( d20+9, +2 more if flanking, if hit 4d6+1 )) 1:45:03 AM Crow: Round 5: Kalor, ???, Grayson, Janis, Nilani, Iskandar, Wynn. 1:45:05 AM Crow: Kalor 1:45:31 AM Crow: Oh wait. 1:45:35 AM Crow: Let me resolve Nilani's first. 1:46:05 AM Crow: Ah, yep. 1:46:40 AM Crow: Nilani stabs the aggressor, who falls off the wall, bleeding and visible. 1:46:46 AM Crow: It's definitely the princess. 1:46:56 AM Crow: End initiative as the other chain clanks open. 1:47:31 AM Crow: The blue dragon disappears; so does the damage to the chairs and tapestries. 1:47:46 AM Janis: ...ok...what's going on? 1:47:59 AM Sash: Illusion spell, works every time. 1:48:07 AM Crow: The prisoner falls forward onto his knees! 1:48:34 AM Iskandar: Your fake dragon said 'I are blue dragon, rar rar', by the way. I find that offensive. 1:49:09 AM Sash: That is odd, I will have to remember to put more effort in next time. 1:49:11 AM Crow: Grayson tries to keep a straight face and kind of fails, but still helps the captive up. "Hey, are you all right?" 1:49:40 AM Wynn: Wynn puts manacles on the princess. 1:50:09 AM Crow: Easily done. She's going to bleed out if someone doesn't stabilize her. 1:50:15 AM Iskandar: I'm guessing that this was not the romantic rendezvous you had in mind, brother. 1:50:29 AM Wynn: Wynn will stabilize her. 1:50:29 AM Crow: Prisoner: Yes. And no, no it wasn't. She tricked me. 1:50:43 AM Sash: But I mean, you have to admit that it made a striking figure with all of those individually sculpted scales, it's an easy mistake to forget to match the sound 1:50:45 AM Crow: He sounds ... hurt. 1:51:17 AM Sash: Sash walks over to the princess and casts cure minor wounds 1:51:33 AM Sash: ((One point of healing should suffice to stabilize, right?)) 1:51:41 AM Wynn: ((I already did it)) 1:51:46 AM Sash: ((Oh)) 1:51:48 AM Iskandar: It's not the sound. It was the lightning. It wasn't right. 1:51:49 AM Crow: He drags the cowl back from the hood. He's kind of... odd-looking under there, with half a head of red hair and half gold, one red eye and one gold. 1:51:55 AM Sash: ((Then I don't do that)) 1:52:11 AM Janis: ...you're a red and gold dragon? 1:52:21 AM Janis: Isk said those two don't really get along. 1:52:33 AM Iskandar: Eh. People are people. 1:52:37 AM Sash: That is odd, I only saw... Nevermind. 1:52:46 AM Iskandar: Most blues aren't as nice as me, either. 1:53:02 AM Janis: ...ok...are you hurt? Do you need healing? 1:53:48 AM Crow: He shrugs. "My parents thought I'd come out red or gold, not... like this. What are you going to do to her? She's been writing to me for weeks." 1:54:06 AM Janis: ....that's a very good question. 1:54:19 AM Iskandar: her father sent us here to save her from you. 1:54:25 AM Sash: Drag her back to her parents I guess, although they did sort of send us here to kill you 1:54:34 AM Wynn: I seriously doubt turning her over to him will result in justice. 1:54:41 AM Sash: Not that we ever intended to do that, you understand? 1:54:54 AM Iskandar: What did she want you for? 1:55:10 AM Janis: If we bring her back, she'll tell her parents we didn't kill the dragon and come back to get revenge. 1:55:36 AM Sash: You're right, then again we could tell them the truth. 1:55:41 AM Wynn: More to the point, whatever story she makes up will be trusted over anyone else's word and we'll likely find ourselves in prison and he'll be killed. 1:56:03 AM Crow: Dragon: She wanted my hoard, of course. 1:56:04 AM Janis: We tell them the truth, they don't believe us, and come here to get revenge. Probably after arresting/killing us. 1:56:20 AM Janis: Remember, this whole city is anti-dragon to a disturbing level. 1:56:28 AM Janis: Possibly this whole plane. 1:56:33 AM Iskandar: Hmph. 1:56:35 AM Wynn: I think we should lock her up on Nation and go have a chat with Daddy Dearest. 1:56:41 AM Sash: Well, it seems she had access to it all this time so why did she leave you chained up here then? 1:57:20 AM Crow: Dragon: Well, she was going to use some sort of gadget to drain my magic away first, but she couldn't figure out how it worked. 1:57:27 AM Crow: Dragon: And I wasn't going to tell her. 1:57:49 AM Sash: So THAT is why these people are so anti dragon 1:57:51 AM Iskandar: We tell them we killed the dragon. But that the dragon used his magic to drive her mad. I think I can sell that. 1:57:59 AM Crow: Dragon: ... I thought I was rescuing her from a forced marriage. This is why I need to spend either a lot more time with humanoids or a lot less. 1:58:21 AM Wynn: Lying won't get us anywhere. 1:58:22 AM Crow: He rubs his wrists. 1:58:27 AM Iskandar: Yes it will. 1:58:32 AM Janis: ..........what if he came with us? 1:58:35 AM Wynn: He'd still be hunted on sight. 1:58:42 AM Sash: Actually, her dad seemed to think marriage was the last thing she wanted, so clearly she pulled the wool over your eyes 1:59:04 AM Janis: He'd be hunted here, but if he came with us, he'd be safe...ish...safer. 1:59:17 AM Crow: Dragon: I'm not good with people. 1:59:26 AM Iskandar: Eh, no one is. 1:59:28 AM Wynn: You're assuming he'd even want to. 1:59:56 AM Crow: Dragon: And mostly, they leave me alone when I look like this. ... it's weird, but most people just think I'm trying to get attention. 2:00:11 AM Janis: ...attention? 2:00:31 AM Crow: Dragon: Like people who file their teeth into fangs or dock their ears to make them look elven. 2:00:46 AM Sash: My guess is that the reason all those nifty gadgets they were so unfamiliar to them, shall we say, is that they were powered with dragon magic 2:00:58 AM Janis: ...why would they do that? 2:01:15 AM Sash: The portal, the communications device, and probably more 2:01:18 AM Iskandar: Attention. 2:01:22 AM Janis: Makes sense. 2:01:32 AM Janis: What Kalor said. This attention thing is still weird. 2:01:37 AM Crow: Dragon: I suppose they think it looks scary. 2:02:02 AM Crow: Dragon: ... it could be that, but I don't think it works with just dragons. 2:02:22 AM Janis: This still doesn't resolve anything. 2:02:28 AM Iskandar: No. 2:02:47 AM Janis: As of right now, we have to assume that whatever we say, they will assume the worst and come here to kill...I'm sorry, what's your name? 2:02:56 AM Sash: I'm more thinking that they are either running out of power or are just so old that these people have forgotten how to use them properly 2:04:03 AM Crow: Dragon: ... Kiram? Would probably be the short version you could pronounce the most easily. 2:04:09 AM Iskandar: Iskandar. 2:04:16 AM Sash: Kalor 2:04:21 AM Crow: Dragon: ... I don't know what would've happened to me if you hadn't come to rescue me. 2:04:26 AM Crow: Grayson introduces himself too. 2:04:30 AM Janis: Right, we need to assume they might kill Kiram. 2:04:38 AM Wynn: What's your preference? 2:04:49 AM Crow: Kiram: I'll put up some more wards around the temple. 2:05:06 AM Crow: Kiram: They won't be able to portal here anymore. 2:05:15 AM Janis: Will that be enough? 2:05:34 AM Crow: Kiram: Probably. It's not easily accessible to s... er.... humanoids. 2:05:52 AM Crow: Kiram: "Iskandar." Sounds almost draconic, is it a very old family name or something? 2:05:59 AM Iskandar: No, I'm a dragon. 2:06:18 AM Janis: ...when we first got here, they used a device to contact us. 2:06:27 AM Crow: Kiram: Oh, that makes sense. 2:06:38 AM Iskandar: So.... when did the humans overthrow the dragons here? 2:06:57 AM Crow: Kiram snorts. "They think they overthrew us, you mean." 2:07:25 AM Crow: Kiram: You know how it is, most of us can't be arsed to show them what little squishies they are, so they mostly do all the ruling for us. 2:07:37 AM Crow: Kiram: Leaving us to do whatever we like. 2:07:48 AM Janis: ..........wait a second... 2:07:50 AM Iskandar: Hmm. Makes sense. 2:07:57 AM Iskandar: So in other words, you'll be fine. 2:07:59 AM Sash: Do you know a dragon by the name of Affan by any chance? 2:08:06 AM Crow: Kiram: I'll be fine. 2:08:23 AM Iskandar: So it's just about Princess Crazypants there. 2:08:27 AM Crow: Kiram: Affan? I ... think he's a cousin on my father's side. Gold, very stuffy, talks a lot. 2:08:53 AM Sash: The Sultan's family apparently owes him, from what he told us. 2:09:12 AM Sash: Something about helping them in some war or other 2:09:28 AM Crow: Kiram: Probably. Sometimes we take an interest, once a century or so. 2:09:53 AM Janis: ...you wouldn't happen to have some people on the inside to help rule things, would you? 2:09:58 AM Crow: Kiram: ... I hope my cat is all right, nobody's fed him for days. 2:10:16 AM Iskandar: Oh, we met him. He's okay. 2:10:18 AM Crow: Kiram: I begged her, but she .... well, she wouldn't. 2:10:23 AM Iskandar: He almost ate Wynn's head. 2:10:23 AM Crow: Kiram: Oh, good. 2:10:30 AM Iskandar: A bit banged up. 2:10:34 AM Crow: Kiram: ... oh, well, sorry about that. 2:10:38 AM Sash: Mauled by a bear 2:10:48 AM Sash: But we fed him 2:10:49 AM Crow: Kiram: A bear got in? 2:10:56 AM Iskandar: Nah, he summoned it. 2:11:02 AM Crow: Kiram: I really do need to freshen the wards. 2:11:05 AM Crow: Kiram: Oh. 2:11:21 AM Crow: Kiram: Understandable. I suppose he was peckish and you do smell like meat. 2:11:37 AM Iskandar: But this is a pretty good lair. Keeping the wards up seems worthwhile. 2:11:51 AM Sash: That would be the human blood in me, otherwise I would smell like fish... 2:12:11 AM Crow: Kiram: I like it here quite a bit. It's nice feeling watched over. 2:12:30 AM Crow: Kiram: All the same, you rescued me, I'd like to give you each a gift, if you'll accept it. 2:12:43 AM Janis: I like presents! 2:12:46 AM Sash: I would be honored to. 2:13:01 AM Iskandar: What are we gonna do with her? 2:13:41 AM Sash: Sash brushes absently at a burn on his arm and flexes his fins 2:13:46 AM Janis: ...give her back, I guess. Tell what lies we can and hope they believe them long enough for Kiram to do whatever he has to do. 2:14:37 AM Crow: Kiram: Don't hurt her, all right? 2:14:42 AM Iskandar: You got anything that can alter her memory, Kiram? 2:14:48 AM Crow: Kiram: I can't believe it was all lies... 2:15:01 AM Crow: Kiram: Oh. Um. Let me think. 2:15:26 AM Sash: You have my word that I will not harm her. As long as she doesn't try to kill me or my friends again that is. 2:16:00 AM Iskandar: Even if you have something that can just blank out her memory of... well, from the time she got 'kidnapped'. 2:16:00 AM Crow: Kiram: Oh, yes. Yes, I do. I forgot about that, it's so ugly I usually keep it toward the bottom. 2:16:28 AM Crow: He snaps his fingers and a fairly ugly striped hat appears. "This should do it." 2:16:37 AM Iskandar: ....how does it work? 2:17:10 AM Crow: Kiram: Put it on her head and tell her how far back to forget. It won't do more than a month, and you've got to be specific or it might just erase everything. 2:17:34 AM Janis: ...that's tempting. 2:17:38 AM Iskandar: How long have you been a captive? 2:17:51 AM Crow: Kiram: A week. 2:18:09 AM Iskandar: She'll know we're lying, but she won't be able to explain how without telling her dad her part in it all. 2:18:53 AM Iskandar: how long is a week here? 2:19:04 AM Crow: Kiram: Six days. 2:19:13 AM Iskandar: Iskandar puts the hat on the princess! 2:19:26 AM Crow: She's still unconscious. 2:19:34 AM Iskandar: ((ha ha, set me on fire, will you? Now you have an ugly hat.)) 2:19:41 AM Iskandar: Does she have to be awake? 2:19:50 AM Crow: Kiram: No. 2:20:23 AM Iskandar: Iskandar nods. "Okay, Princess. Forget everything that happened since.... 8 days ago." 2:20:28 AM Iskandar: That should cover it. 2:20:49 AM Crow: Kiram: ... I won't read them, if she sends me more letters. 2:21:08 AM Iskandar: I wouldn't. 2:21:08 AM Janis: Smart man. 2:21:17 AM Sash: Well, at least you can be sure she won't be married off against her will. 2:21:26 AM Janis: ...so...you mentioned gifts? 2:21:31 AM Janis: Janis puts on a big smile. 2:21:51 AM Iskandar: Iskandar hands the ugly hat of forgetfulness back to Kiram. 2:22:14 AM Crow: Kiram: Of course. 2:22:47 AM Crow: He snaps his fingers again, each time coming up with something shiny for each of you, whih I will decide on later because I am a lazy DM and did not properly prepare things. 2:22:57 AM Crow: But they are Shiny Things. 2:23:08 AM Iskandar: ((Woot!)) 2:24:02 AM Crow: And then you head back to the Sultan, with the princess. The Sultan is happy to have her back, and so is the vizier, who actually hugs her. She seems confused, but doesn't correct anything you say. 2:24:25 AM Crow: You get paid again. And that is the end of this session, for it is Late. 2:24:36 AM Iskandar: Iskandar does the lying!